Firefighter strikes have been postponed after an elevated pay supply from employers, the Fire Brigades Union has introduced.
The new supply is for 7% backdated to July 2022, after which 5% from 1 July this yr.
This has now been put to a poll of members, and the union has postponed the announcement of strike dates, pending its consequence.
Read extra: More strikes to return – who’s taking motion, and when?
The union mentioned whereas discussions might be “honest and sober”, the brand new supply nonetheless represents an actual phrases pay lower, with firefighters experiencing a 12% drop in earnings since 2010.
One in 5 jobs within the service has been lower in the identical interval, based on the FBU.
Firefighters had beforehand overwhelmingly backed motion, with 88% voting in favour of strikes.
In November, members rejected a proposal of a 5% pay enhance, with unions arguing this was under inflation and could be felt as a real-terms lower by staff.
Matt Wrack, FBU common secretary, mentioned: “Today, firefighters got a brand new pay supply.
“This offer is testament to the power of collective action through the Fire Brigades Union. Last year we were offered an insulting 2%. The employers have now revised their position.
“We have achieved this enhance due to the large vote in favour of strike motion by firefighters and management employees throughout the nation, which made clear the energy of feeling amongst firefighters about cuts to their wages.”
The final time there was a nationwide walkout by firefighters was in 2003.
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Polling beforehand confirmed sturdy public assist for strike motion by firefighters, the union mentioned, with round three in 5 folks backing motion.
The industrial motion comes on the again of analysis by the FBU and the University of Central Lancashire, which discovered firefighters usually tend to die of most cancers than most people.
Source: information.sky.com”